


In Touch

by Annie46fic, dedougal



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Challenge Response, Co-Written, M/M, Sports
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-02
Updated: 2011-07-02
Packaged: 2017-10-20 23:07:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/218082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annie46fic/pseuds/Annie46fic, https://archiveofourown.org/users/dedougal/pseuds/dedougal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared wasn’t quite sure what he expected from college, but being asked to join a rugby team wasn’t exactly it. Especially when the guy who asked him turns out to be the most popular, straightest guy in the whole place. Jensen Ackles is just about everything he appears to be: gorgeous, popular, athletic. But he’s hiding the truth about himself and Jared is just the one thing that might make him stop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Touch

**Author's Note:**

> Part of Livejournals spn_ficmatchup Supernatural Co-Writing Challenge. Akadougal, as well as co-writing this, was responsible for art work.

  
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There’s something about the crisp autumn air that just reminds Jared exactly how far away from Texas he’s come. He reckoned there was just something in the way the mist hung close to the ground and the way that the leaves were so many colors of red, orange, yellow, and amber. Dew drenched spider webs made the neatly trimmed hedges glisten in the dawning sunshine. In his mind, he couldn’t help imaging them turning to brown sludge when the inevitable rain hit, but at the moment he sometimes felt like he was in some Hollywood movie maker’s vision of the perfect New England college experience.

The air was cool enough to burn as he took deep breaths. It was a perfect time to run too. No one was really about, except for a few other early morning runners. The day would heat up as the sun burned off the lingering mist and by afternoon the lawns would be full of students catching the last sun of the year. Jared also enjoyed the quiet. It let him get his head on straight. Nobody nagging about papers or rooming or how slammed they got at that raging kegger last night.

Jared was almost halfway through mentally planning his Whitman paper when his calm was disturbed by loud shouting and the sound of bodies thumping together. He stuttered to a stop, realizing where he was. He’d run alongside the sports pitches before. They had been empty then but now they were empty no more.

Out there, in the middle of the field still shrouded in a light mist, he could make out figures throwing themselves at each other. There was shouting and grunting as they locked arms around each others’ shoulders and piled together, pushing against each other. It looked like some bizarre brawling ritual. Jared was no clearer as to why they suddenly stopped and stood back. A whistle rang out and then the men on the pitch were trotting towards a pile of gear at the near end of the field. As they came closer, Jared could see the sweat pouring off them. Their uniform of studded boots, long sleeved jerseys, and shorts looked pretty much like any other sports gear. The layer of mud covering them all seemed to pay testimony to the enthusiasm with which they must have been practicing.

A football tumbled onto the path in front of him. Jared bent to grab it before it rolled any further. One of the players jogged up to him, holding out his hand.

“Thanks, man.”

Jared handed the ball over. Then his curiosity got the better of him. “No problem. It didn’t look as if you were playing football out there.”

“Nope.” The guy grinned at him. Even beneath the layer of mud, Jared could see friendly eyes and a genuine smile. “Rugby. Football’s for pussies.”

Jared realized that was something of an in-joke. He tried to smile back appropriately. The guy was already turning back to join his teammates. Then he paused and turned around again. “We’ve got a game this weekend. Come and see.”

Jared nodded his head. He wasn’t sure if it was the challenge to the game regarded as the national sport or the way the guy cocked his head that made him do that. He wasn’t even going to discount the kick he felt in his stomach when he recognized the dude’s accent and felt a little homesick.

“You know the field on the far side of Morgan Hall?” Jared smiled in acknowledgment. “Saturday afternoon. Kick off’s at two.” The guy gave a wave and joined the rest of his team.

And if Jared cut short the rest of his usual route to shower and hit the college website to find out more, it had everything to do with fitting in and nothing at all to do with mud spattered muscle.

Jared clicked off the site really no wiser than he had been when he logged on. He wondered if he might get more of an idea of the game by actually going to watch it and he decided to take up _muddy guy’s_ invitation and go watch the game.

***

Saturday afternoon rolled around cool and bright. The sun shone low through the trees as Jared made his way to the field in question and was shocked to find that it was already pretty crowded; groups of spectators sitting on blankets on the wet grass, drinking chocolate from flasks and by the smell of it – other liquids that were also on offer.

The game was yet to start and Jared squatted down so he had a good view of both ends of the field. The teams were warming up and he recognized his _mud splattered_ guy, instantly. Now he was clean, his dirty blond hair shining in the shallow light of the sun, his face clean now, green eyes bright and mouth as beautiful as any woman’s. The man was broad under his thick red shirt, his legs a little bowed in black shorts. Jared felt a quivering in his gut and he shifted slightly. This was so not the time for a big gay _moment_ and he couldn’t help but smile to himself as he watched the players being put through their paces.

Their coach appeared to be a smaller, crumpled looking man with scruffy black hair and piercing blue eyes. He was shouting and gesturing, his voice odd and his accent lilting. Jared had never heard that accent before and he was instantly curious. He leant towards one of the other guys who was watching intently. “Who is that?”

The guy, small and chunky with long hair and an obvious attitude, looked at him in some shock.

“That’s _‘Mad’_ Misha Collins, the rugby coach – best not to cross him.” He nodded as if he was having internal dialogue with himself. “He’s fucking Welsh!”

Jared stared at him and then back at _‘Mad’_ Misha. He realized he had never met a Welshman before and he could see from the man’s actions and demeanor that he certainly earned the title, _‘Mad’_.

This game, Jared decided, was definitely NOT for the faint hearted! There was no padding to soften any blows that might be coming the players’ way and there were no helmets to stop the head getting constantly smashed into the mud. Jared winced as one guy was set upon by several others, all of them crashing down on top of each other in one huge scrimmage.

Despite telling himself he wouldn’t, Jared found himself concentrating on the _muddy guy_ from the previous evening. He was fast and strong and Jared couldn’t deny the way he moved made Jared’s stomach clench a little. He had always been _quietly_ gay; unassuming and often too nervous to make any sort of move. He had the feeling though that watching this game was making him gayer and he shifted position hoping that his _excitement_ wasn’t showing too much.

At the end of the game he clapped loudly as the victorious team left the field. He wasn’t sure how they won but he had enjoyed it all the same and he was about to make his weary way back to the dorm when _muddy guy_ trotted over to him, face red with exertion, soft mouth curved into a big smile.

“Hey, don’t go,” he said. “Misha wanted a word with you.”

“Me?” Jared pointed a long finger to his own chest, heart thumping. “Why?”

“Because Jensen thought you looked likely.” That strange lilting accent made Jared look up and bright blue eyes assessed him. “And you do – big lad like you should be on the field, not off it.”

“Jensen?” Jared stared at muddy guy. “Jensen Ackles – Captain of the football team?”

“Captain of the rugby team now, boyo,” Misha said with a grin. “As Jensen probably told you, football is for pussies.”

Jared gulped; Jensen Ackles was a jock and a popular kid who dated cheerleaders and always got voted the boy most likely to! Jared didn’t hang around with jocks much and he knew that they didn’t want to hang around with him either. He was considered a nerd and a geek and it didn’t always bother him but now – now he was flushing with embarrassment unable to make eye contact with Jensen or even Misha.

“Do you play sports?” Misha’s voice was insistent. “At all?”

“I run.” Jared managed to get out a sentence that made some sense.

“Are you fast?” Misha looked very interested and he gestured to a tall blond boy who was flirting with one of the female teachers. “Chad there would rather chase tail than a rugby ball and I could do with a good forward to go for the tries.”

“I’m pretty fast.” Jared toed the earth with his boot.

“Jensen.” Misha’s voice was commanding. “Take this boy to the student gym with you and show him the ropes. Get him into shape for a trial and we’ll see how it goes.”

Jared didn’t actually remember agreeing to a trial or even agreeing to go to the gym but Jensen Ackles was smiling at him and shrugging those big broad shoulders and Jared – Jared could not say no to that.

They quickly arranged a time – the following Tuesday, at eight – and Jared made his way back to the dorms. Even his roommate playing loud music, he could hear from the Quad, wasn’t enough to completely destroy his good mood.

  
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“This is nice.” Jared waved his arm expansively as they moved through the large gym and he couldn’t help but admire the equipment. “Better than the sports center and less crowded.” He grinned. “Do you think I could try it out?”

Jensen nodded and swallowed hard as Jared crossed his arms and pulled off his plaid over-shirt, leaving him in a clinging gray t-shirt that Jensen thought suited him rather better .

“Can you show me the changing rooms?” He asked with a grin and Jensen nodded silently.

Jensen wasn’t exactly regretting showing Jared the student gym where he worked out. He was just taking pity on a freshman and a possible new team mate. Jared had been stuck in the poky gym at the main student sports center. It was always overcrowded, no matter how early in the morning you went. Jensen had been shown the gym in the basement of the pool complex in his freshman year by a senior. He was totally just passing on knowledge.

He hadn’t expected Jared to want to work out when he got here and he turned the corner and stood stock still as he realized that not only had Jared changed, but he was already well into his routine.

Jared was leaning back on the bench in the free weights area. Instead of using the single bar, he was using two smaller hand-held weights, alternating the lift and drop. He was watching the ceiling and had headphones in, so he wouldn’t have heard Jensen come in. And that was probably also a good thing. Jensen couldn’t move. He had to take a drink from his water bottle to clear the dryness in his mouth. Jared was wearing low, worn, soft sweat pants and a white wife beater which had ridden up just enough to reveal the cut of his hips and the ridges of his abs. His prone position highlighted the bulge at his groin.

Hidden by the tread climber machine, Jensen watched the flex and twist of Jared’s shoulders and arm muscles. He itched to run his hands over them, to see if Jared felt as good as he looked. Jared’s skin shone golden with sweat, Jensen could see it glistening in the spotlights above the gym. A small pool was gathering in the dip at Jared’s hip and Jensen had to suppress the urge to drop to his knees and lick the pool away.

Freshman, he reminded himself, possible team mate and therefore off limits. Jesus, but it was difficult to even remember all that when Jared was laid out on the bench in front of him. It made Jensen want to strip him, straddle him and ride him until they were both addicted to the feel of each other.

Jared sat up then, and Jensen knew he couldn’t avoid being spotted any longer.

“Hey, man! Looking good there.” _Smooth Jensen. Admit you were perving._

Jared didn’t seem to think that. Instead he ducked his head and looked nervous. “I’ve haven’t done much in the way of official weight training. The guy who signed me up at the regular gym suggested a few exercises. And I remember some from high school. I’m still more of a library person than a gym person.”

“I can help.” The offer was out before Jensen could censor it. “Spot you and show you what I do. That’ll help with what Misha wants as well. And you can help with that library stuff. Make sure I don’t fail this year.”

“You wouldn’t have made it through three years of college if you didn’t know how to use the library,” Jared pointed out.

Jensen shrugged. He didn’t really want to explain that most of the time he just flirted with the library assistants until they helped him find stuff. “How did you warm up?”

“I did some running on the treadmill. I wasn’t too sure about the other machines.” Jared’s eyes went wide as he looked around the well-equipped room. “Some of them look too close to torture machines for me.”

“They’re torturous in the sense that using them can be hard.” Jensen grinned. “But not torture devices per se.”

“Latin references, dude. Convincing me more that this lack of book learning reputation is just lies.”

Jared stretched himself up, fingertips almost brushing the ceiling. Jensen glanced around the room to see what he could show Jared first. It was also to hide his slight embarrassment. Part of Jensen was worried about what Jared knew of his reputation. He knew he’d never been the best student and he had used all the strength of his looks and position to smokescreen himself with as many female bodies as possible. If Jensen’s nascent gaydar was any good, he suspected that Jared would know all about the false image.

The cardio machines were fine. Jensen showed Jared how to program them, did five minutes on them until Jared had worked it out and then moved on to the next one. Core exercises were a little different. Rolling around the mat with Jared straining and flexing made all sorts of inconvenient thoughts cross Jensen’s mind.

He saved weights for last. That was going to be torture for him. He had to put his hands all over Jared to guide his arms and legs in the correct movement. It felt more comfortable than he’d expected, more intimate and less awkward. They were still the only two people in the gym this late on a Tuesday and it felt like he had all the time in the world to just hang out with Jared. Maybe getting to know him would take the edge off his crush.

Jared was struggling to get the last of the exercises correct. He looked pretty done in, if Jensen was honest. “We should call it quits there. I’m sure we can pick it up another time.”

“Yeah. You probably have a party to get to. I’m sorry for taking up your time like this.” From anyone else, Jensen would have expected the statement to have been meant sarcastically or to hurt him. Instead Jared’s voice was completely sincere. He seemed totally ill at ease, genuinely sorry to have taken up Jensen’s evening.

“What?” Jensen asked, rather gormless if he said so himself.

“I mean, you’re this popular senior and I’m... me. I’m sorry I can’t get this.” Jared’s face was a picture of misery.

Jensen didn’t think about what he was doing. He slid onto the bench that Jared was straddling and scooted forward until his body was pressed close behind his. This near, he could feel the sudden increase in Jared’s heart rate and the hitch in his breathing. He reached around and wrapped his own hand around the weight in Jared’s hand, guiding it backwards and upwards. “Like this. You almost had it. You’re tired and not used to this and I was going to suggest we have a quick swim and then grab something like pizza.”

Jared repeated the movement on his own. Jensen didn’t let go of Jared’s arm, following Jared through the move again. “Pizza? After all this exercise?”

Jensen snorted. “You’ve persuaded me. Burgers, definitely. I need meat.”

Jared seemed happier when he lowered the weight. Jensen was suddenly aware that he was basically cuddling Jared from behind. His dick gave an interested twitch at that idea. Jensen eased away, hoping his self control remained firmly in place. Jared was soaked with sweat now and Jensen knew from the mirrors on the walls that he didn’t look any better.

“The pool can be used by all students, not just people on the team. And it’s always dead on a Tuesday night. It’s my favorite time to come here. Just me, the machines, and the pool. It clears my head of all the bullshit, you know.” Jensen was heading towards the door leading back to the change rooms. “But I don’t mind sharing. Especially not with you.”

Jensen couldn’t look at Jared as he said the last part. Instead he held the door open until he felt Jared come up behind him and hold it open. Jared’s voice was still hesitant but less self-deprecating. “Thanks. And burgers do sound good.”

Jensen led the way to the changing rooms, careful to avoid staring too much as Jared unselfconsciously lifted his shirt up to mop at his forehead. “We should just hit the showers then. Save the pool for next week.” Jensen wasn’t sure his self-control would last if he had to face Jared in a tight pair of swim trunks.

  
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Jared was more than a little flattered to find that Jensen Ackles – all star – was happy to spend time with him. He guessed that it might be something to do with the rugby trials but he didn’t want to ruin the moment by mentioning that so he just followed the guy into the showers and hoped he could hide his already budding erection caused by the close proximity of Jensen who seemed to want to touch him as often as he could.

He stripped off his sweaty wife beater and got his hands in the waistband of his tracks; listening as he heard the shower flick on and tensing as he realized he would have to go in there and face Jensen – naked. He flushed. They barely knew each other and he still felt like a nerd and desperately out of place. If he hadn’t had been so sweaty he would have put on his jacket on and made a run for it but as it was he had to strip off and shower with the most popular guy in the college. Awesome – just awesome.

  
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Jensen heard Jared switch on the shower three along from him and interrupt the hot stream of water by standing under it. Jensen ducked his head out to check Jared was okay (or so he told himself) and was momentarily stunned. Jared had his broad, strong hands splayed against the white tile either side of the shower head. His fingers looked even longer and more delicate like that. The water was pouring over his bent head and down the smooth muscled planes of his back. Jared’s summer tan still lingered, making the skin golden and rich in the fluorescent light of the showers. Jensen had to drag his eyes back, grope for his shampoo bottle, and hide under the spray of his own shower.

He was nearly undone when Jared let out a relieved groan as the warmth of the water eased his tired muscles. Jensen was embarrassingly glad of the chest high dividers between each shower head. It hid his reaction to the noise – the type of noise Jared would no doubt let out should Jensen fall to his knees in front of him and mouth his way over his dick. Jensen could feel his mouth watering.

Jensen tried imagining the worst thing he could – Chris naked normally did the trick – so that he could leave the showers sometime soon. Team mate; Freshman; Potential friend. He reminded himself of all the reasons he couldn’t just walk over to Jared and crowd him up against the slick cool tiles.

It wouldn’t do for Jensen’s hard work in keeping up his reputation to be destroyed by this infatuation with Jared. Not even when Jared slid his eyes sideways, turning his head just enough to catch Jensen staring. Shit.

  
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Jared tried, he really did. He placed his hands on the tiles in front of him to force his head forward, to block his view of Jensen. He knew how to shower with other guys, where to keep his eyes. On the other hand, he was a fan of porn. It was pretty much how he’d worked out the gay thing. He’d seen the hot guys getting it on in showers often enough for there to be a notion at the back of his mind that one day a hot guy would come over and suck his cock.

Things not to be thinking about.

Jared tried but he couldn’t help but let his eyes slide over his arm to sneak a look at Jensen. There Jared ran into a problem. Jensen wasn’t obeying the rules. He wasn’t staring straight ahead in that unfocused way. Instead his eyes were fixed on Jared and Jared just couldn’t look away. He watched as Jensen swallowed, once, but did not stop looking at Jared. Instead his eyes caressed Jared’s face, shifted over his body and Jared couldn’t stop looking, either, at the way the water made Jensen skin slick and pebbled his nipples. Jared took a deep breath. He had a moment here. He was either going to be beaten up really badly or possibly find out what those guys in porn had been moaning about.

Part of him wanted to follow the trickle of water running down Jensen’s neck with his tongue. Part of him wanted to find out how Jensen’s skin felt under his arms. Most of him wanted to find out if Jensen’s inability to look away meant what he hoped it meant. Jared stepped away from his shower and padded across the tiled floor. _Screw your courage to the sticking place_ and all.

  
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“Like what you see?” Jared’s voice held a note of teasing and Jensen felt his cheeks flush. He looked away for a moment, concentrating on the soap, the water, the swish of it going down the drain, anything but looking at Jared.

“Hey.” A big wet hand landed on his shoulder and he nearly leapt out of his skin. “I’m just messin’ with you.”

“I know.” Jensen shook his head, droplets splattering all over Jared’s face and neck. He reached for his towel and turned the shower off, wrapping the fluffy white material around his waist and leaving the booth. Behind him he heard Jared do the same and to his horror he was confronted by six foot, five inches of muscle, all tanned skin, and long dripping hair, nothing like a geek should be.

“Jared.” His voice sounded choked and the younger man stared at him with cat-like eyes. “Jared this isn’t. . . .” He never got to finish because Jared grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled Jensen up hard against him, his lips coming down on Jensen’s, giving him little or no chance of escaping. Jensen made an embarrassing noise that might have been, _humph_ and then he groaned and let Jared drag him even closer, their cocks hard beneath respective towels.

“I know you’re not gay,” Jared murmured against Jensen’s more than eager mouth. “I understand that you probably don’t want this but – but at least let me have this moment. Let me have something to remember.”

Jensen knew his body’s reaction to Jared’s would probably make a lie of Jared’s statement about gayness so he didn’t say anything. Instead he let Jared kiss him, let Jared open up his mouth with his tongue, and let Jared rub against him for a moment, the warmth and heat in his stomach building so that he thought he might explode.

“Jared.” Finally he got the energy to push Jared away, keeping his hands on the other man’s biceps so that Jared knew it was a gentle push not a fierce one. “Not here, man. Someone might come in.”

“Where?” Jared’s eyes were hazel fire. “Where do you want to go?”

“Burgers and then to my place,” Jensen’s voice wavered even though he was trying for tough. “We can – um – my roommates are out for the evening. We can – you know . . . .”

Jared beamed and his cheeks dimpled prettily. Jensen swallowed hard and couldn’t help the answering smile that came to his lips.

“Let’s skip the burgers,” Jared whispered and Jensen could only nod his agreement.

  
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Jensen felt like a high school kid again as he lay on the couch with Jared beneath him. They were basically making out and it was both good and bad in equal measures. Good because it was hot, hotter than anything he had ever shared with a girl and bad because in two days Jared was going to take a trial with Misha and the two of them could well be team mates. Jared didn’t seem to have any problem with this. The younger man was bucking up into Jensen’s own hardness, moaning and groaning and nipping at Jensen’s neck; urging him on with hot mutterings that made no sense but made Jensen so hot he almost exploded.

Jensen knew his roomies could come home at any point – band practice wouldn’t last forever but he couldn’t bring himself to stop kissing and touching. There was something powerful in the way he could make Jared moan and thrust. Jared’s skin was every bit as smooth and silky as it had looked in the gym but he tasted even better than Jensen had been able to imagine. It was like his deepest, darkest most secret fantasies come to life. He was half tempted to invite Jared into his bedroom, close the door behind them and strip Jared of every piece of clothing, oh so very slowly.

  
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Jared loved the weight of Jensen; loved the feel of that hard cock against his, and could feel how much Jensen wanted him even though layers of clothing. Jared moaned again, he didn’t know he could have this, didn’t even believe he could have this with Jensen – the God – Ackles. For the first time in his life Jared didn’t feel like a geek or an outsider, he felt like he belonged and he felt like he belonged here, under Jensen, the two of them closer than he had thought possible.

That was his last thought for a while as his downstairs brain took over. He found himself rubbing harder, his cock soaking now, pre-come leaking, wetting his boxers and the stiff denim of his jeans. Jensen gave a grunt, thrust once and then again and Jared felt him go loose, relax, his whole body flopping, a heavy weight, his head tucked inside of Jared’s neck, teeth nipping gently. That one last sharp pain was enough to do it and Jared felt his own orgasm burst out of him. It was his first real experience, his first real orgasm in the company of someone else, of someone he really, really wanted. He had had some experiences with girls but he had known that that was not what he craved. This – this right here – was what he really needed and he cried out as he let go, his head thrown back, spine bowing. If this was the only time then he was going to take it.

Jensen was quiet as he opened the door to let Jared out. There was a hickey starting to purple on his neck, just where the collar of his shirt lay. Jared put out his hand and brushed his fingertips over it.

“Uh, sorry.” He wasn’t sure if Jensen even knew it was there.

Jensen smirked at him. “Something to keep me thinking about you until I see you again.”

Jared felt his heart give a leap. Jensen wanted to see him again! Then he remembered the trial. “Thursday. At the sports pitches?”

“For the trial.” Jensen opened his mouth again, but shut it when there was the clatter of feet on the stairs. “You should probably go now.”

“Yeah.” Jared hitched his backpack higher on his shoulder and made his way to the stairway. Looking back, Jensen had closed his door. He passed a group of guys coming up and nodded at them. They wouldn’t know where he’d been, what he’d done. Jared felt a little sad at that. Part of him wanted to yell out that he’d made out with Jensen Ackles. That he’d made out with the hottest guy he’d possibly ever seen outside of films and magazines. The very thought of it sustained Jared through the next two days. He couldn’t wait to see Jensen again.

  
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His roomies teased him about the marks on his neck. He knew they would. They wanted to know who the lucky girl was and weren’t put off when Jensen claimed not to kiss and tell. He didn’t want to be the douche walking around with a popped collar to hide the hickeys, so every time he looked in the mirror there they were; a reminder of Jared. But Jensen didn’t need to look in the mirror to be reminded of Jared.

It was as if everywhere Jared’s hands had been was bruised and marked. Like some permanent hold had been burned into his skin. His lips throbbed when he remembered the way Jared had opened his jaw wide to let Jensen slip his tongue inside.

It was hard to not be distracted. Jensen found himself locking his door stripping off, lying back on his bed and letting his hands roam rather than doing his assignment. It was dangerous for him to feel this way. He had put too much stock in misdirection. Jensen wiped the come off his hands one more time and crawled under his blankets. He wasn’t in Texas anymore, sure enough, and people were more tolerant here. But he knew it would kill his parents if they ever found out.

So he should take the memories of Jared and store them in his spank bank and move on. Of course, he had to get through Jared training with the rugby team first. The temptation of those muscles in tight shorts, covered in mud and sweat made Jensen’s overtired dick twitch once more. He slammed his head into his pillow and groaned.

  
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So – the rugby trials shouldn’t be as awkward as they were Jared mused as he jogged up the hill towards the pitch. Even from this distance away he could hear Coach Collins shouting at his charges, smatterings of actual Welsh intermingled with pure American and all of them sounding like curses. Jared shuddered and wondered what he had let himself in for, realizing that he was only going to do this because of Jensen.

Jensen – the very thought of him made Jared blush and feel like a big girl. He smiled, fondly, wistfully as he remembered their last meeting, the orgasm that Jensen had given him, the embarrassment as they had pulled themselves back together, the shy smiles and nudges as Jared had left Jensen’s place and walked back to his own dorm. Since that night Jared had only seen Jensen briefly in the hall or in the library and apart from a timid wave and a flash of teeth there had been no acknowledgment of what had happened between them.

Now Jared made his way to the side of the pitch and began to strip off his sweats. It was cold and he could see his breath in the air. He looked down at his stupid long legs, gangly in the shorts he had borrowed from a friend, sighed at his knobbly knees and big feet. He began to limber up, hoping that no one would notice him and failing in that hope as Coach Collins bellowed across at him.

“You, Padasomthin’ – get your ass into gear.” He gestured with his hands. “Jensen, did you work on this guy or not?”

Jared blushed as he saw Jensen trotting up to him covered in mud again, mouth curved into a welcoming smile.

“Yeah Coach, I did.” Jensen was grinning at Jared’s obvious discomfort. “I think we can make a forward of him.”

“Good.” Collin’s smile was predatory. “Because we could do with some new blood on this team, the rest of you are startin’ to look like a bunch of pansies.”

Jensen raised his eyebrows and nodded to Jared, his face impassive but his green eyes lit up like fire, reminding Jared of what they had done and what they might do again.

“Let’s go,” he said with a brief pat on Jared’s shoulder. “I’m gonna’ make a rugby player of you even if it kills me.”

What Jensen had forgotten to mention was that making Jared a rugby player might not have killed him but it certainly nearly killed Jared. At the end of the first half of play he was battered, bruised, muddy, and exhausted. He wondered, randomly, if he should lie down somewhere in a corner and surrender now and only Jensen’s soft and encouraging smile made him breathe deeply and stay for the second half.

At the end of the trial Coach Collins trotted up to him and slapped him on the back only adding to the pain he was already feeling.

“Boyo,” he said with a happy nod, “you are so in.”

Jared wiped mud from his eyebrow and stared at Coach Collins wondering if his nickname of _Mad Misha_ was really that accurate.

“You are jokin’ right?” Jared’s head was thumping, his thighs screaming and his eyes sore. “I was pretty bad.”

“Nope, you aren’t the strongest thing on two legs yet but you were certainly the fastest. Work on that muscle, laddo and you will be one of our strongest players. Now do you want the place or not?”

Jared swallowed hard and turned to Jensen, teeth buried into his lower lip, eyes pleading. Jensen nodded in perceptively and Jared sighed, realizing he was royally screwed.

“Yeah,” he said, wondering at his decision and how much he might regret it, wondering if he had anything with Jensen and if he did whether it would be worth it. “I want the place.”

“Good lad, get yourself in the shower and then Jensen will kit you out. You did well.” He patted Jared’s arm. “You did really well.”

“Thanks,” Jared gulped and followed Jensen towards the locker rooms realizing that yet again he was going to have to handle the most beautiful man on the planet in the shower and he wasn’t sure that he was strong enough to resist him.

  
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](http://pics.livejournal.com/annie46/pic/0000t88y/)   


Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on which way you look at it, they were not alone in the shower. Most of the team were cleaning the mud from their exhausted bodies and they all wanted to talk to Jared, some of them eager, some of them more suspicious. Jensen watched, stupidly proud, as Jared discussed the trial with them, eager and excited and as he watched he realized that he might be falling for Jared and falling hard.

  
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](http://pics.livejournal.com/annie46/pic/0000st4r/)   


They fell into a comfortable routine; at weekends they would train, working towards their first match and during the week Jared insisted they study, still wanting to get good grades and not wanting to rely on sport to get him through life. Jensen was always reluctant but in the end he went along with Jared’s enthusiasm, finding that studying was nice if it ended up in a make out session, which it often did.

They hid their relationship – if that is what this was – beneath the disguise of being friends and team mates. Jared felt a little uneasy about things. He was growing fond of Jensen, maybe too fond and he found himself wanting more than they had. He loved to take Jensen back to his empty dorm, loved Jensen to spread him out on his bed and touch him all over. Despite being six foot five and built like a tank, Jared to his surprise enjoyed being dominated and he wanted more than just touching, more than just rubbing together until they came. He wanted to have it all and he wondered if Jensen was prepared to give it to him.

Jared wasn’t sure how to bring it up. He built up enough courage to buy lube -he had condoms left over from orientation week – from a tiny pharmacy in the center of town. He’d taken himself there on the bus which was not an experience he really wanted to repeat, but it was worth it for the security of knowing he wouldn’t meet anyone. Even still, he buried the tiny brown bag at the bottom of his kit bag, wrapped in a spare t-shirt. Now that the nights were closing in, most training took place in one of the gyms scattered around the campus rather than on the field. Jared was pretty glad about that. It was cold out there at night.

There were a couple of DVDs waiting to be tucked into his kit bag too. Jensen had asked to borrow them. Jared wasn’t quite sure if it was a genuine request or just pretend interest, but he took them with him anyway, waving a hand at his roomie as he trotted out of the dorms. His roomie barely acknowledged the wave, focusing on the game in his hands.

Jensen was already lying back on a weights bench when Jared came into the gym, pushing up a chest bar. Misha was spotting him but he gestured over Jared when he came in. “You need to get yourself warmed up. Then you can take over here.”

Jared starting pounding on the treadmill. Seeing Jensen laid out like that on the bench was making his stomach turn over lazily. He wanted to drop to his knees between Jensen’s splayed thighs, pull down his shorts and– Jared shook his head and returned his focus to the exercises. Not the time to either start sporting wood or thinking about Jensen like that.

Chris was waiting when Jared made his way back to where Jensen was now doing chin ups, calves crossed neatly beneath him. “What do you say, Jared?”

Jared had been watching the thin scrap of skin revealed at Jensen’s waist where his t-shirt had ridden up. “To what?”

“My band is playing at the open mike night. You in? We could do with some support.” Chris leaned back casually against the mirrors.

Jared shook his head. “I’m too young to get in, I think. Anyway, I’ve got class early tomorrow.”

“Fuck it. I keep forgetting you’re a Froshie.” Chris frowned a little, looking between Jensen and Jared. He didn’t say anything.

“It’s the height,” Jensen told him when he dropped down off the bar, breathing heavily. “He’s like some kind of half-giraffe. You notice it more because you’re tiny, Chris.”

“Well-” Chris grinned evilly. “Just cause I haven’t got sasquatch genes. You coming, Ackles?”

Jensen shook his head. “Nah. Too tired. I’ll see you back home.”

Chris looked between them again, eyes narrowed. Jared watched Jensen smile broadly before Misha interrupted their little group to tell them to stop gabbing like fishwives.

Jared held out the DVDs to Jensen as they finished changing after the training. “You said you wanted to see. . . .” He let his voice drop off as Jensen looked at him from under his lashes. It was a look that burned through Jared.

“You want to come watch one, tonight?” Jensen’s voice was deep and soft.

“Thought you were too tired for company, Jenny-bean,” Chris taunted, dropping his bag between them. Jared returned to stuffing his practice gear into his own bag, keeping his head down. He tried not to shiver as his fingertips brushed against the paper bag.

“Jared won’t force shots down my throat that will make me puke for days afterwards,” Jensen replied, his voice back to normal. “Offer’s open to you too.”

Chris grabbed his bag. “Gotta’ play. Gotta’ get some hot cheerleader with a cowboy thing to drop her panties. The usual. Don’t wait up. Catch you later, Jared.” Chris resembled a whirlwind as he headed out.

Jared sank to the bench. “If you’re too tired, I can just head back to the dorms.”

“Want to grab a pizza on the way back to mine?” Jensen ignored Jared’s offer. “I need some cheesy goodness.”

Jared nodded.

They sprawled across Jensen’s couch, slipping into a food coma. Jared knew how to put away pizza like no one’s business and Jensen wasn’t much behind him. Jensen’s other roommate, a guy named Jason, had headed out to support Chris at the bar after stealing a slice and mocking the fact Jensen had never seen the Lord of the Rings films. Jensen had mainly responded with an upraised middle finger, mouth too full to say much.

They were sitting side by side, not too close. No one coming in would think they were inappropriate. Jared watched as Elrond wandered around Rivendell then flicked his eyes at Jensen. He couldn’t stop thinking about the lube and condoms at the bottom of the bag he could see lying at the door. Jensen was watching the screen, can of soda balanced loosely on his thigh. Jared let himself look, taking in the slight bow of Jensen’s leg, his firm muscles, his long eyelashes, his lips.

“You done looking? Want to do something about it?” Jensen’s voice cut into his contemplation.

“I want . . . .” Jared’s throat was dry. He swallowed. “I want you to. . . .” He couldn’t say it. He could feel a blush burning its way up his cheeks. Where was the courage he’d had in the showers that first time?

Jensen seemed to fill in the gaps. He put the movie on pause, put his soda on the floor, and shifted closer on the sofa. “What do you want, Jared?” His voice had gone beyond deep into gravelly. Jared shivered at the tone. “Do you want me to kiss you? Do you want me to jack you off? Or are you after something else?” Jensen’s fingers ran over Jared’s t-shirt, slipping down to cup his half-hard dick.

“I want more.” Jared was glad he could get the words out with the way Jensen’s fingers were tightening rhythmically on his cock.

“A blow job? You want to give me a blow job?” Jensen brought his mouth close to Jared’s cheek, hot breath caressing his skin. “Or do you want me to open you up with my fingers and stuff you full of my cock.”

Jared knew his dick was no longer only half-hard. In fact, he was surprised it hadn’t bust its way out of his jeans. “Fuck, Jensen. What’s with the porn star dialogue?”

“Want me to stop?” Jensen pressed his fingers down against the seam of Jared’s jeans and Jared felt his thighs parting of their own accord, allowing Jensen access.

“No,” Jared breathed out as Jensen’s fingers brushed across his hole. He could feel it through the denim and the cotton of his boxers. “I got. . . I’ve got stuff. To use. If you . . . .” Jared’s stuttering words were cut off by Jensen’s mouth on his own.

“I’m going to lay you out naked on my bed. You get that, right?” Jensen’s hands were scrabbling at Jared’s t-shirt, pulling him closer. “It’s all I can think about.”

“Yeah,” Jared replied, his own hands pulling at Jensen’s clothing, desperate to feel skin. “I want you to. I need you to.” He wasn’t even sure what nonsense he was babbling, lust overwriting every attempt at conscious thought.

“Go get your bag, Jared,” Jensen said, pulling away. He wiped a hand across his mouth, looking less confident all of a sudden. “If you’re sure.”

Jared got to his feet. His legs were shaking and he felt like he couldn’t breathe properly, but he managed. “There’s nothing I’m more sure of.” He kissed Jensen again, lips smashing together without any real finesse. “Fuck me, Jensen.”

Jensen kissed back just as wildly, before grabbing Jared’s bag himself and pulling him through to the bedroom.

  
[   
](http://pics.livejournal.com/annie46/pic/0000t88y/)   


They were in the library again. Jensen always laughed to himself when he met Jared here. Who would have guessed that all it took for him to finally study would be finding a boyfriend? All the girls he’d dated seemed to suck the time for studying out of his life. Dinners and movies and bars were time consuming after all.

Jared didn’t seem to want all of that. He seemed happy to call for takeout, sling on a DVD, lean back on the sofa and let Jensen use him as a pillow. And he demanded that they occasionally meet in the library and do some work. Jensen didn’t have the heart to argue with Jared’s naïve wide-eyed stare, especially when Jared immediately set to work with his naturally wicked mouth on Jensen’s neck when he agreed. It still bothered Jensen a little.

“Should I take you out?” Jensen asked, leaning close to Jared’s ear. This was not a conversation he wanted overheard. Their desk was pretty isolated, buried in the Shakespeare section of the Language and Literature floor.

“Out of the library?” Jared turned from his notes. His nose brushed against Jensen’s cheek as they were so close.

“Out out. On a date?” Jensen was unaccountably nervous.

“I thought I wasn’t invited. Too young.” Jared was staring back at his notes. “Wasn’t that what Chris was saying?”

“I think Chris was taking me to task for dating jailbait, Jared.” Jensen leaned in to bump his shoulder against Jared’s. “It’s just that I thought that boyfriends should, you know, actually date.”

Jared stared at the notes blankly. His voice was composed, if a little shaky, when he spoke. “Is that what we are? Boyfriends? And Chris knows?”

A panicked thrum went through Jensen. He thought they were on the same page. He thought that spending time with Jared like this, no matter the risk to his carefully constructed image, meant that they were in a relationship. He had to hold himself still. Any movement might have sent him flying out of his chair, out of the library and into the nearest sorority party. Jared shifted beside him, seemingly aware of the change in Jensen’s mood.

“I’d seen you, you know,” Jensen began in a low voice. He cleared his throat. “Running in the morning. I wanted you to stop and pick up the ball that morning. And Chris knows. He’s always known, apparently.”

Jared still didn’t say anything but he reached over to brush his fingertips along Jensen’s forearm where it lay on the desk.

“I’m not saying we should be kissing in the quad or anything. I’d just . . . .” Jensen reached out his hand and grabbed at Jared’s stroking fingers. He kept his attention on their entwined fingers rather than building up enough courage to look at Jared. “I want you to know where I stand, I guess.”

Jensen looked up to see a shy smile dancing over Jared’s lips. It was so different from the wide grin he’d seen when Jared laughed along with one of his jokes or celebrated a successful run during practice. It was the type of smile only someone who knew Jared intimately would ever get to see. Jensen was aware of a similar look on his own face mirroring it.

“Well,” he finally said, dropping Jared’s hand back to the desk and picking up his own book. “Your boyfriend needs you to finish studying so he can finally take you out on a date. And he expects you to put out, just so you know.”

“Not a problem,” Jared replied, pressing his thigh up against Jensen’s under the table.

  
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](http://pics.livejournal.com/annie46/pic/0000st4r/)   


A date; Jared was sure that he hadn’t been expecting Jensen to offer an invitation like that and he felt an odd warmth creeping through his body as he sat in the library and attempted to study with Jensen’s thigh so close to his.

He hadn’t considered _‘coming out’_ like this but he wanted to. He wanted to go and see Chris’s band with Jensen, wanted to go for pizza after training, wanted to kiss in the quad but he hadn’t thought beyond what they were doing. He glanced across at Jensen one more time and felt THAT smile creep across his face. Boyfriends, yeah he liked the sound of that.

***

So they decided on going to see a movie; it seemed to be a safe place to go. It was dark and warm and they could get lost in the crowd. They both liked movies and, by the look of the candy that Jared was buying, they both liked to eat junk food and drink copious amounts of soda. Chatting about the film they were going to see they made their way into the auditorium, found two suitable seats at the back and settled down to watch the movie.

Thing was, there wasn’t a lot of movie watching happening. They were pretty much alone in the back row, the film wasn’t that popular and, apart from a few giggling girls upfront, there weren’t any other people in the room. Jensen reached out and took Jared’s hand in his own, squeezing tight, rubbing his fingers across Jared’s knuckles. Jared sighed and leaned in, resting his head on Jensen’s shoulder. They stayed like that for a while, warm and secure in the darkness and then, when no one noticed what they were doing, they started to make out in earnest.

Jensen’s teeth were in his neck, his hand moving from Jared’s knee to his thigh to his groin. The explosions from the screen boomed and the light flickered across their faces but Jared couldn’t stop the pleasure now, didn’t want to and he spread his thighs wider so that Jensen could cup him through his jeans and rub him more thoroughly. Jensen was panting hard and Jared bit on his bottom lip and repaid the favor, his own hand clasping at Jensen’s hardness. It was wonderful. The two of them hidden in the womb-like warmth of the theater, the two of them coming almost in tandem, the fronts of their jeans damp and accusing, forcing them to sit there till the end of the film and beyond, Jensen clutching Jared’s hand again, still holding it when they got up and left the safety of the darkness and walked out into the light.

They went for a proper meal; not diner food but a cheap Italian restaurant around the corner from the theater. Jensen made a big play of ordering fine white wine whilst Jared laughed and chose what they could eat. They didn’t seem to be able to stop talking and they both were like huge saps, staring at each other across the table, holding hands beneath the protection of the table napkin, eyes sparkling, mouths parting as they both remembered the last few days.

***

They played their first match two days after their first date and Jared didn’t know which made him more terrified. He was wired in the locker room as he slipped the rough cotton shirt over his chest and pulled on the black shorts and socks, slipping in his gum shield. Unlike football there was little protection apart from the shield and a carefully placed box. Jared had bruises on his bruises just from training and he rubbed, absently, at a purple mark on his knee.

“Now boyo – we don’t want you getting all angst ridden about this.” Misha appeared from nowhere, big hand on his shoulder. “It is not about how you play the game but it is all about winning!”

Jared swallowed and tried to get some moisture into his dry mouth. “Great,” he mused. “Now I feel so much better.”

  
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](http://pics.livejournal.com/annie46/pic/0000st4r/)   


Jensen was on the pitch, warming up, as Jared jogged onto the muddy grass. It was a perfect day, chilled but bright and the good weather had attracted lots of supporters from both sides and Jared looked up to see the rival team jog by, all muscle and mud, looking for all the world like barbarians on the prowl.

Jensen didn’t acknowledge him but Jared didn’t expect him to. This was something that they both had to do, they might be _‘going out’_ in most senses of the word but they didn’t want or need the attention here, this was different, this was war.

Jared lined up with the rest of the team. He could feel the adrenaline overtaking any worries he might feel. He liked the game, he liked his teammates. He knew what he was doing. He made eye contact with his opposite number and bared his teeth. The referee’s whistle blew and that was that. His first official game had begun.

Jared caught the ball tossed back to him easily, ignoring the faint dampness that permeated the air, making the ground slippy. He ran with it easily winding his way around the opposing team. He was stopped by a member of their defense and tossed the ball behind him, trusting someone would be there to catch it. Jared pushed his shoulder against the defender, breaking around him and joining in the run again. It felt like the noise of the crowd was lifting him up, making him play better, faster, harder than he’d ever tried before.

Jared threw Jensen a wide grin as they came together, shoulder to shoulder behind the ready prop and hookers. Jared dropped into the scrum, pushing with all his might, Jensen tight against his side with his arm wrapped over his shoulders. Sweat sprung fresh on his face as he grunted with effort which paid off as the ball was tumbled between his legs and seized by another member of the team. They were out of the scrum in an instant, ready to back up each other. Ready for that first try.

***

They had won and by a fair margin; Jared had been instrumental in that victory and the mud on his face, body and legs were testament to that. Jensen patted him on the back but his hand lingered, perhaps, a little longer than it should have. Beside him his team mates hauled Jared up onto their shoulders and began to carry him off the pitch shouting his name. Jensen watched, oddly and stupidly jealous and, with a sigh, he followed the little parade back to the locker room with a slight smile on his face.

Jared ached too much to feel anything but exhausted. He lay on his bed, head smooshed into the pillow, eyes closed. It had been awesome and he felt so good about what had gone down, enjoyed basking in the praise of Misha, been flattered and excited by the victory parade. The only thing missing that would make the day better was Jensen and beer and he wondered where the other man was, wondered why they were not celebrating together, why they weren’t having some sort of hot ‘bunny’ sex, wondering at the strange expression on Jensen’s face when the rest of the team had carried him off.

He wanted, no he needed, Jensen here and now; maybe they could give each other a massage, maybe they could lie naked next to each other, stroke naked skin, kiss, cuddle, and just generally be good for each other.

He shifted, cock hard and hot. He might have jerked off if he had the energy but right now – right now all he needed was Jensen and Jensen just wasn’t here.

There was a knock on the door. Jared tugged his t-shirt down, hoping it covered the tent in his sweats as he tucked his hips behind his dorm door and opened it. Jensen stood on the other side, holding a brown paper bag. Jared drew back to let him in.

“I thought that showing up with a six pack might be too obvious, even for your RA,” Jensen said, discarding the bag and revealing a pack of beer. He put it on Jared’s desk and pulled a couple of packets of candy out of the bag before scrunching it up and tossing it in the waste basket. “Time to celebrate.”

“Beer. . . and candy?” Jared sat down on the bed, leaning forward to hide his still interested dick.

Jensen held up his hand, teasingly counting off his fingers. “Beer. Candy. Something on TV. And a blow job.” He smiled brightly. “Or something sexual, anyway. I’m not adverse to you wanting to get fucked. So you know.”

Jared leaned back on the bed, making his erection obvious. Jensen’s eyes zeroed in on it. “I can play with the order,” he said, voice dark with promise. Jared had to laugh when Jensen lifted his leg and tugged off a sock.

“What are you doing?” he asked. “That tickles.”

Jensen lifted an eyebrow. “I’m presuming the code is still the same,” he told Jared, backing towards the door. “Sock still means the same thing.”

“I’m sexiling my roomie, right?” Jared said. Then he sat up again and pulled off his t-shirt. He heard a faint groan from Jensen. “You going to treat me like this after each game we win?”

Jensen opened the door and hung the sock on the handle before closing it behind him. “Nah. I’m thinking I do this after every game.”

Jared brought his hands to his waist and pushed off his sweats. He hadn’t bothered with underwear. He could see Jensen’s eyes widen when he realized what Jared had done and the way he had to press the palm of his hand to the bulge in his crotch. Jared smiled. “So, candy?”

“Later,” Jensen said, dropping to his knees between Jared’s legs. “Much later.”

  
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](http://pics.livejournal.com/annie46/pic/0000t88y/)   


The game was close. They were nearly at the end of the final quarter and there were only two points dividing them from the other team. Jensen found himself grinning wildly as he looked across at Jared. Jared was no less caught up in the game, eyes steely but a confident smirk playing around his lips. Jensen had a quick flash of what he’d be doing with those lips later and decided that even if this final run didn’t win them the game, it had all been worth it anyway.

The rain from the night before had made the ground soft and they were all splattered with mud. Jared’s strong thighs were pretty much caked in the stuff – but it did have the side effect of highlighting the muscles as he crouched forward. Jensen drew his eyes back to the opposing team. They looked scared.

The ref’s whistle blew and his team sprung into action, passing the ball back. Jensen spun around a diving member of the opposing team and snatched the ball out of the air. They were yards away from the try line. A hulking defender rammed into him, caught him along his left side so he turned and threw the ball to the nearest red jersey. To Jared.

Jared leapt up to catch the ball as Jensen scrambled up from under his opponent. It was with satisfaction that he noticed Jared firmly clasp the ball in his broad palms and then set himself for a run through the opposition. Their defense seemed to melt in front of him. There was one move, where he neatly side stepped a tackle that had Jensen whooping in exhilaration. The crowd was screaming out Jared’s name now and Jensen managed to get around his own nemesis and start running in support. Jared was nearly over the line, a guy in a blue jersey right at his heels.

Jared didn’t glance around. Instead he took off, leaping forward to drag the ball over the line. He landed flat out, fingertips wrapped around the ball. Jensen started running towards him as the player from the other team landed on Jared’s back. The referee blew his whistle and Jensen looked up to see the lineman confirming a try. They were a precious point ahead.

Jensen helped the other player up and turned to Jared, expecting him to grin up at him in triumph. But Jared was still face down in the mud. Jensen dropped to his knees and rolled Jared over carefully. Mixed with the mud at Jared’s temple, there was a thick trickle of blood. Jared’s eyes were closed.

Jensen barely heard the opposing guy babble something about, “I didn’t mean it.” Instead he brought his hand down to check Jared still had a pulse. Jensen spread his palm out wide over Jared’s chest and let out a shuddering breath when the firm pulse of Jared’s heart transmitted up his hand. The crowd was silent now.

Jensen bent forward to check Jared was breathing, dipping his face close, closing his own eyes in relief when he felt the puff of air against his cheek. Misha dropped to knees on the other side of Jared.

“He’s breathing. He’s got a pulse.” Jensen hadn’t moved his hand from Jared’s chest. Misha scrabbled in the first aid kit as Jensen repeated those facts to himself, over and over. Misha had grabbed a small piece of gauze and started to clean the blood and mud off the side of Jared’s head. In some kind of recognition, Jared’s eyes started to move behind his closed lids.

“Jensen?” he said, eyes moving more rapidly.

Jensen leaned closer. “I’m here. Open your eyes.”

Jared let out a hurt sigh then flickered his eyelashes. His eyes opened slowly. “My head hurts.” He sounded young and helpless and Jensen couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, mostly of relief. Jared looked a little pained at that so Jensen brought his hand up and brushed Jared’s unwieldy mop of hair off his forehead and behind his ears.

Misha moved back to the kit to pull out another wipe. Jensen finally got up the courage to have a look at the wound. It was a shallow graze, bruising vividly already. “Got a good one there, champ.” Misha told Jared.

Jensen dragged his eyes away and back to Jared, who was still struggling to keep his eyes open. Now he knew Jared was going to be okay, Jensen could feel himself relaxing slightly. Muscles he wasn’t aware he’d tensed were relaxing. Jensen swayed forward over Jared again when Misha finished fixing on a quick bandage and waved to the first aiders with a stretcher hovering over the far side of the field.

“I’m going to be fine, Jen,” Jared told him, meeting his eyes solidly for the first time.

Jensen didn’t answer. Instead he dipped down and kissed Jared. Jared eagerly opened his mouth to him and let Jensen pour every worry, every moment of concern and every word he hadn’t been able to say into the kiss. When Jensen pulled back to let the stretcher bearers take Jared off the field, he became aware of the crowd’s silence again. But Jared didn’t care. He refused the stretcher but asked for a hand up. He threw his arm over Jensen’s shoulder and leaned heavily on him. Jensen had no choice but to wrap his arm around his back. One of the first aiders came up and under Jared’s other arm and they made their slow way off the pitch.

The crowd started cheering. They were chanting Jared’s name again, loudly, and clapping and stomping. Jared raised his hand to wave when he finally sat down on the bench on the sidelines. The cheering continued, rising to a crescendo. Chris and some of the rest of the team came over to check Jared was all right, as did the referee.

Jensen leaned into Jared’s side briefly, drawing comfort he didn’t deserve from the warmth before standing up. Misha was grinning at him, slightly manically. “How long we got to go?”

The referee looked at the stopwatch hanging around his neck. “Three minutes, fifteen seconds. With stoppage.”

Jensen looked around at the crowd. They roared in approval as he clapped his hand on Jared’s shoulder. “All we need to do is keep the lead?”

“Chance of a conversion,” replied Misha. Chris stretched his hands up above his head and nodded. The team jogged out onto the pitch once more and the opposing team – minus the guy that had knocked out Jared – came out to meet them. The ball was placed in the middle of the pitch in front of the goal and Tom trotted up the minute the whistle blew and kicked it squarely through the uprights. The team slapped each other on the back as they reformed to stop the opposing team from reaching the other end.

Chris stood shoulder to shoulder with Jensen in the staggered line across the pitch. “So, Jared?”

Jensen nodded, unable to speak.

Chris nodded once, sharply. “I like him,” he drawled out.

Jensen couldn’t stop himself looking over to Jared, now being somewhat forcibly restrained on the sidelines. He knew he was grinning stupidly when he turned back to Chris and replied, “Me too.”

Jared limped back across the field to where Jensen stood with Chris; he had an impressive bruise on his head and mud in his hair but he was still the most beautiful thing that Jensen had ever seen. Chris stepped back to let Jared through and he winked at the taller boy making Jared frown and then smile as he took Jensen in his arms and buried his head in Jensen’s sweaty shirt.

“Boys.” Coach Collins was behind them and Jensen could almost hear him shaking his head. “This is a man’s sport you know.”

“We know.” Jared lifted his head and dropped a kiss on the top of Jensen’s filthy and sweaty hair. “We were awesome out there, Coach – give us a break, huh!”

Misha smiled. “I’ll give you a break.” He patted them both on the shoulder. “Now go and shower – the pair of you stink and you . . . .” He pointed to Jensen. “You possibly have a lot of explaining to do.”

Jensen flushed; he could see his friends, the cheerleaders, all of his crowd watching him. His teammates were surrounding him and he knew that now was the time for confessions, for the truth.

“Maybe I wasn’t such a macho guy after all,” he said with a shrug and Misha laughed aloud.

“You are good enough for me, boyo,” he said and Jensen hitched Jared closer as they both staggered off the field to shower.

***

Jensen hadn’t imagined standing on the bleachers and announcing to his entire social circle that he was now, officially, gay. He didn’t quite know what to expect and he figured that some of his ‘friends’ might very well object. He also figured his ex-girlfriends might also be a little shocked but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He had Jared beside him, battered and bruised but whole, and it was all he needed right now. Jared looked ready to kiss him, his slanting eyes warm and encouraging and Jensen took a breath to speak, Jared’s big paw soft on his back.

Jared was so proud of Jensen right now and his stomach was warm with another emotion, one he couldn’t put into words at that moment but one day would be glad to reveal. He very suddenly loved everyone and everything, the school, his team mates, Mad Misha and the time honored game of Rugby. Without these things he would still be a sad loner, a geek who cared more for the library than his social life and whilst he still wanted to succeed, he now wanted to do it with Jensen.

And so they came out together to a round of applause and only a few negative comments. They had their entire lives ahead of them now and Jared had the sneaking suspicion that they would spend them together.

  
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](http://pics.livejournal.com/annie46/pic/0000st4r/)   


The mornings were warmer now. Winter with its rain, mud, snow, and slush had come and gone and Jared had survived his first real stretch of cold weather. Sure he’d needed to ask his mom for extra socks for Christmas. And maybe he’d complained. A lot. To anyone who stood still enough.

Jared shook his head as he pounded along the path beside the sports pitches. He still enjoyed running. He enjoyed the feel of the path under his feet as he planted them solidly. He liked the way he could feel the impact right the way up his body, the way the burn in his muscles would tighten and ease. But Jared wasn’t running for the sake of running today. He swung off the path and sped up, pounding his way rhythmically across the grassy field.

Jensen was waiting for him at the sidelines of the pitch. A few of the players were out having a last throw of the ball, tossing it back and forward and jeering whenever it slipped through anyone’s hands.

“Sorry. The prof wouldn’t stop talking.” Jared put his hands on his knees and caught his breath.

Jensen ran his hand over his shoulders as Jared coughed. “I was worried you’d forgotten.”

“Forgotten? It’s all you’ve been talking about for weeks.” Jared straightened up, feeling his heartbeat slow and return to normal. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

“It’s stupid,” Jensen grumbled, but the crinkle around his eyes gave away the truth. He was far from unhappy.

Misha blew his whistle and they ambled over to join him and the rest of the team. “Now, gentlemen. . . .”

“We ain’t gentlemen!” called a voice from the back of the group.

“I know you aren’t, Chad,” returned Misha. “Ladies and gentlemen. It is time to say a sad farewell to our seniors, some of whom may be back next year for grad school.” There was a round of hooting and hollering. Jensen held up his hands modestly and Jared thumped him on the back. “Let’s hit the pub!”

With shouts of, “To the pub!”, and with the ball held high, the group headed off towards the on campus student bar.

Jared hung back and walked beside Jensen. Jensen slung his hand around Jared’s waist and Jared felt he had no choice but to sling his arm over Jensen’s shoulder. Jensen was smiling now, outright grinning. He waved away the good-natured taunts being flung their way.

“They know I’m not legal, right?” Jared couldn’t help himself blushing.

“You’re legal!” Jensen said in mock anxiety. “I checked and everything.”

“To drink,” Jared muttered. “Not to. . . .”

“Shouldn’t be doing it if you can’t say it.” Jensen squeezed his arm more tightly around Jared’s waist. As if Jensen and he would be able to stop fucking. He could barely be in the same room as Jensen without touching him in some small way. “Just as well you have an older boyfriend to look after you.”

“Yeah,” Jared replied. “I’m using you to support my drinking.”

“And later, you’ll be supporting my drunken ass all the way back to my dorm – which you are more than welcome to stay in – and holding my head as I puke spectacularly.” Jensen bounced a little in anticipation.

“I think the hard-man rugby act has got to you a little.” Jared wasn’t annoyed. He liked drunk Jensen. Drunk Jensen was. . . affectionate.

Jensen stopped, dragging Jared to a halt. “If it bothers you, I won’t.”

Jared realized he was deadly serious. His boyfriend, who had been looking forward to cutting lose now that finals were over with and he could finally raise his head and breathe again, was actually willing to give that up if he asked. Jared leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Jensen’s lips. Then he pulled back, grinned, and started running. “Last one through the door buys.”

Jensen started chasing him and they piled through the door together. Jensen reeled Jared in, wrapping his arms around his waist and kissing him thoroughly again. Jared lifted a finger in the direction of the cat calls from the rest of the team. Jensen just kissed harder.

Yeah, it was going to be a good night.

THE END


End file.
